iPhone 16 review: There's no reason for most people to pick a Pro option

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It would be tough for Apple to match the iPhone 15's sheer number of year-over-year upgrades in the iPhone 16. Yet, the iPhone 16's list of upgrades isn't too far off, and it puts on an excellent show.

Premium features once exclusive to the iPhone Pro models continue to trickle down, like the Action button, macro photography, and ray tracing for games. Apple also gave the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus new features and improvements, like the new Camera Control button and faster MagSafe charging. All iPhone 16 users, not just iPhone 16 Pro owners, have access to Apple Intelligence features, which we've found generally useful and promising but in need of refinement in preliminary testing, following the AI suite's release in iOS 18.1.

Add a sprinkle of incredible performance that exceeds expectations, an improved ultrawide camera, and Photographic Styles you can add after taking a shot, and the base iPhone 16 models are remarkable devices that continue to blur the line between the entry-level and Pro options. 

Apple spoils the mood with the iPhone 16's outdated 60Hz display, as high-refresh-rate displays remain an iPhone Pro feature for now. You also won't find a dedicated zoom camera or the more powerful A18 Pro processor in the base iPhone 16 models, but that's understandable. Either way, Apple is on a roll, and the base iPhone 16 models are well worth your consideration.

Note: Our review covers both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, as both share the same performance and features except for display size and battery life. We tested the iPhone 16 in Pink and the iPhone 16 Plus in Ultramarine.

Design: Refined, with useful new buttons

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a similar design to the iPhone 15. However, the camera island on the back is now a pill-shaped, two-lens oval reminiscent of the iPhone X and iPhone XS. This lens alignment allows the iPhone 16 to shoot stereoscopic spatial videos that would be ideal for viewing with the Apple Vision Pro VR/AR headset. 

Apple introduced two new buttons to the base iPhone 16 models: the Action button that replaces the ring/silent switch (which was trickled down from the Pro models) and a brand new Camera Control button, which can be found across the iPhone 16 series. 

The Action button is a shortcut to useful functions and features, like toggling the flashlight or a Focus mode that limits distractions. With iOS 18, Apple added in-app functionality to the Shortcuts app for the Action button, like unlocking your car remotely from your carmaker's app. 

It's more useful than the old Silent Mode switch, and I'm glad it's on the base iPhone 16, but I wish the button were more prominent to find by feel, as I often mistake it for the volume-up button. In its current iteration, the Action button also supports only a single press, which feels like a lost potential — it could do numerous Actions if it also supported long presses or multiple presses.

I've seen evidence in forums like Reddit where the Action button could perform multiple functions with various press combinations using the Shortcuts app, so it is possible. However, using the Shortcuts app to give the Action button multiple functions is infinitely more complex than a simple option provided by Apple. 

The Camera Control is a physical button with a capacitive sensor that supports various combinations of presses, light presses, and swipes when shooting photos or videos. I describe the new Camera Control button in more detail in the cameras section further down. 

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are available in four new color options for the aluminum frame and frosted glass back, including Teal, Ultramarine, and Pink, with deeper saturation than the iPhone 15 series. There's also a new white option alongside the usual black colorway. Only the iPhone 16 Pro models sport a titanium frame with more neutral and less colorful options.

As with every new iPhone, the base iPhone 16 models won't fit older iPhone cases due to its design changes and new buttons. See our guides to the best iPhone 16 cases and best iPhone 16 Plus cases for our vetted top options.   

Apple Intelligence: Showing promise, but there's still a long way to go

Apple Intelligence is the biggest software upgrade in the iPhone 16; it's also supported on the iPhone 15 Pro models. It became fully available in the iOS 18.1 update that rolled out in October.

My early impression so far is that the groundwork is there, but it still needs to be refined and improved to fulfill its true potential. To be sure, the current iteration of Apple Intelligence in the fully released iOS 18.1 update is still a beta, which means it's not really a final product, and there's still a lot that Apple wants to add to it.

Apple Intelligence introduces several new AI-powered features, like Writing Tools, improved Siri functionality, useful summaries for emails, notifications, and voice recorder transcripts, and improved search and new AI-powered features in Photos. Apple promises more Apple Intelligence features in future versions of iOS, like giving Siri the ability to perform in-app actions and priority notifications.

Writing Tools is useful for converting shorthand and notes into full prose, as well as proofreading and changing the tone of what you've written. It's also excellent at summarizing selected text from pretty much anywhere, whether it's parts of a news article or an email. Just note that Writing Tools is almost entirely dependent on you selecting text, as there's no button to bring up Writing Tools in most apps (except in the Notes app).

In this regard, I'd love to see an easier way to implement Apple Intelligence and Writing Tools. For example, instead of forcing me to manually select the entirety of a webpage to summarize it, it would be nice to simply press a button. It would also be nice to simply press a button to proofread an email I've written in the Mail app instead of selecting all the text and tapping the Writing Tools button.

Siri is improved in the sense that it can understand what you're saying more effectively, and you can now write a Siri request. It can also perform neat little tasks, like sending a photo you're looking at to a contact using just your voice, which eliminates some finger taps and app switching from the usual equation.

It's also handy in telling you how to do things on your iPhone, but it could be better. For example, when I ask Siri, "How do I enable Bluetooth," it shows me concise instructions on how to do so. However, when I intuitively tap on Siri's instructions, expecting to be brought to the Bluetooth settings, I'm instead led to Apple's support page with the same instructions. (For the record, this example was used purely for testing — I know very well how to enable Bluetooth on iPhones, and I can ask Siri to do it for me, anyway.)

More day-to-day testing is required for Siri with Apple Intelligence, but anyone expecting major improvements may be disappointed. It can still be easily tripped up, or it can offer websites when I'm expecting a simple answer to a simple question. For example, I asked for another way of saying "easily tripped up," and it offered me web results. When I reworded my request to find a synonym for "easily tripped up," it brought up synonyms for tripping, which wasn't what I was looking for. To compare, I asked the same question to Google's Gemini on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and it produced exactly the answer I was looking for.

The new Photos search feature is meant to find photos based on your description. It works pretty well generally but can struggle with specific requests. For example, the feature could find photos of my kids in Halloween costumes but not a specific photo I was looking for where one of my kids has something in her teeth.

Performance: Exceeding expectations 

Apple is using its latest A18 processor for the base iPhone 16 models after repurposing older processors in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15. The iPhone 16 Pro models run on Apple's more powerful A18 Pro processor, so there's still variance between the base and Pro models. 

Even though the A18 Pro processor is more powerful than the A18 in every respect, I wouldn't worry one bit. The iPhone 16's performance, which we tested with the iPhone 16 Plus, is easily strong enough for most users to run apps and games. In fact, its benchmark scores leave the iPhone 15 utterly in the dust, with even higher results we'd expect from a two-generation leap from the A16 to the A18 processors.

Specifically for gaming, the A18 processor is powerful enough to support AAA game titles previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models. Plus, the iPhone 16 is the first base model iPhone to support ray tracing for better lighting graphics. It's great that ray tracing is available across the iPhone 16 lineup, as lighting quality can improve the overall look of a game if it supports ray tracing.

However, ray tracing doesn't necessarily make a game more enjoyable, and it's not a reason to upgrade on its own. It also might not even be noticeable. I tried ray tracing with "War Thunder," which Apple showcased during its iPhone launch event, and I honestly can't tell the difference when I enabled it. 

Apple also improved thermal dissipation in the iPhone 16 to maintain smooth performance during longer gaming sessions. We saw a significant 15% improvement relative to the base iPhone 15 in sustained performance in the 20-minute 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test, which falls within Apple's "up to 30%" claim. Since heat is transferred more efficiently from the A18 processor to the phone's exterior, the iPhone 16 feels hotter during longer gaming sessions. Some people find hot phones uncomfortable, but without fans to blow heat away from the phone's exterior, it's simply part of gaming on all phones, not just iPhones. 

While the iPhone 16 Pro running the A18 Pro processor is more powerful, it's likely you'll only see and feel the benefits while gaming and other graphic-intensive apps, as it supports faster ray tracing for even better lighting quality and includes an extra graphics core. We're still testing whether Apple Intelligence is faster or more effective on the iPhone 16 Pro thanks to additional components in the A18 Pro processor.

Display: Down to new lows, in a good way

The iPhone 16's display can reach up to 2,000 nits brightness, just like the iPhone 15, for easy visibility in super bright conditions like direct sunlight. However, it can also dim to 1 nit, which is noticeably dimmer than previous iPhones and more comfortable on the eyes in a dark room.

Apple also upgraded the iPhone 16's screen to a stronger second-generation Ceramic Shield glass that it claims is 50% tougher than the original Ceramic Shield glass introduced with the iPhone 12 series. 

We haven't tested the claim on our iPhone review units, but improvements are always welcome, even if you maintain your iPhone screen in perfect condition.  

I can attest that the original Ceramic Shield glass from previous iPhones is incredibly strong and resistant to scratches, but I also know they're not indestructible. I haven't experienced a scratch or crack on the last few iPhones I've used, each for a full year without a screen protector. Yet, my wife's iPhone with the original Ceramic Shield glass has suffered many scratches and cracks, even in a case (no screen protector). So, again, any improvement is welcome.

I'd recommend using a screen protector regardless of Apple's claims on the display's durability, and you can check our guide to the best iPhone 16 screen protectors for top options. I'm personally going to start using one after accidentally scratching the display on a different phone from a different company.

These are nice upgrades, but the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus displays still run at an antiquated 60Hz refresh rate rather than 120Hz, like the iPhone 16 Pro models and all Pro iPhones since the iPhone 13 series. 

There is an undeniable difference between 60Hz and 120Hz. Animations are much smoother at 120Hz, and certain games that support 120 frames per second (fps) can run more smoothly, too. By comparison, animations on a 60Hz display look choppy, giving the impression that the phone's performance is slow, which absolutely isn't the case with the iPhone 16.

To be fair, 120Hz is a visual upgrade more than anything, as it doesn't meaningfully improve functionality. Still, it has a considerable impact on how premium the device feels, and it meaningfully improves the experience of using a phone, whether just scrolling through social media or playing a game. I expect a higher refresh rate on a premium device that starts at $800, and I don't believe it should be a feature that separates base iPhone models from Pro models anymore. In 2024, even solid budget Android phones that cost as low as $300 have 120Hz refresh rates, like Motorola's latest Moto G Power.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have the same 6.1 and 6.7-inch displays, respectively, as previous iPhones since the iPhone 14 generation. Only the iPhone 16 Pro models have new larger screen sizes, with 6.3 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro, and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. 

Cameras: Better ultrawide photos and new macro shots

Every camera spec Apple makes available suggests the iPhone 16's 48MP main camera is identical to the iPhone 15's. By renaming the iPhone 16's 48MP camera to a Fusion camera, Apple is highlighting the 2x optical-quality zoom option — a feature that also existed in the iPhone 15. 

The iPhone 16's Fusion camera also powers the latest generation of Photographic Styles, essentially high-quality filters that adjust tint and hue with contextual awareness. For example, a vibrant style might deeply saturate colors, but it'll do so more mildly for faces. There are 11 new styles and enhanced controls to adjust each style to your desired look. The best part of this upgrade is that you can add and adjust Photographic Styles after you take a photo with the iPhone 16 (it won't work with photos from older iPhones). 

Otherwise, photos taken with the iPhone 16's main 48MP camera look just as good as those taken with the iPhone 15's, and there's no perceivable difference or improvement here. The iPhone 16's improved cameras become more appreciable if you have an iPhone 12 or older. 

Like the iPhone 15, the iPhone 16 can take 2x zoom photos at full optical quality without downgrading to digital zooming. It's made possible by cropping out the middle 12MP of the 48MP camera rather than adding a dedicated zoom camera to the iPhone 16. The 2x zoom isn't as extensive as the 5x zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but it's still a nice option to get a little closer to subjects.

The iPhone 16 has a new ultrawide camera that can capture more light than previous iPhones. It's mostly noticeable in low-light shots but also helps with shots taken during the day. 

The new ultrawide camera also comes with autofocus. That's great, but I must say I've never had any focusing issues when using the ultrawide camera on previous base iPhones, and I don't see much of a difference in terms of focus in the iPhone 16's ultrawide camera. 

That said, autofocus helps enable macro photography, which is a new option in the iPhone 16. It's remarkably good and lets you get incredibly close to subjects while capturing loads of detail. It's a great option to have if you like taking macro shots or wish you could take them with a base iPhone. 

Apple claimed that the iPhone 16 series essentially has four cameras, and that's hard to dispute. With 2x optical-quality zoom and the new macro photography mode, you could indeed say the dual-lens camera on the iPhone 16 is closer to a quad-lens camera. 

The new vertical alignment of the main and ultrawide cameras enables the iPhone 16 to take spatial photos and videos for the first time in a base iPhone model. We haven't tried viewing spatial photos and videos in Apple's Vision Pro headset, or other supporting VR headset like the Meta Quest, but spatial photos and videos supposedly have a 3D effect where subjects pop out slightly against the background. Taking spatial photos and videos only matters if you or anyone else you share photos and videos with owns an Apple Vision Pro or other supporting headset.

Another upgrade in the iPhone 16's camera we haven't seen before is an anti-reflective coating to deal with lens glare at certain angles from light sources. We still need more time to test the anti-reflective coating, and we'll update this review when we have the results. 

Camera Control is useful as a shortcut to the Camera app. It can also be used to quickly snap a photo or start a video recording. 

The Camera Control button also offers a shortcut for camera functions, like depth, exposure, zoom, and switching Photographic Style and Tones. However, it's best used to access those functions when holding the phone with two hands — adjusting exposure or zoom is an awkward affair when holding the iPhone with one hand, whether you're it horizontally or vertically.

It certainly needs some acclimation, but thanks to the intuitive interface and haptic feedback, it becomes second nature very quickly.

Still, it mostly feels merely like another way of controlling most functions, like exposure or Tones, rather than a meaningful shortcut. The best function in Camera Control is zoom, which is noticeably easier and more precise than doing the pinching gesture on the display.

Here's a rundown of what the Camera Control button does:

• A simple press opens the camera app. 
• A second press takes a photo. 
• A long press while in the camera app starts a video recording. 
• A light press while in the camera app reveals zoom control by default.
• Swiping back and forth along the button adjusts the zoom level. 
• You can change the light press's function by double-light-pressing the button and swiping to other controls, such as depth, exposure, camera switching, Photographic Styles, and Tone. 
• The iPhone 16 remembers which control you last used, so you can quickly adjust it.

I'm pleasantly surprised it's included in the base iPhone 16 models. Apple could have made it an iPhone 16 Pro exclusive like the Action button was in the iPhone 15 series. Yet, the company decided to extend the updated functionality to the base iPhone 16 models, and that's always appreciated.

Battery life and charging: Promised improvements fall flat

Apple added larger batteries to the entire iPhone 16 lineup, but our battery testing shows lower scores compared to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

The iPhone 16 finished our test with 65% remaining compared to the iPhone 15's 66% result. The iPhone 16 Plus finished the test with 70% remaining, while the iPhone 15 Plus scored 73%.

These are still excellent, class-leading scores, but we expected better results, even if marginal. Still, we plan to test battery life further for a future update in order to see if things improve.

Our battery test simulates heavy and light usage with three hours of screen-on time. To mimic heavy use, we ran the Geekbench 6 CPU test five times and the 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test twice. To replicate lighter use, we streamed a YouTube video for two hours and streamed music for one hour with a Bluetooth speaker. We feel this test reflects typical usage rather than a battery test performed on a single task, like playing a video from the phone's storage.

New for the iPhone 16 is faster 25W MagSafe charging with the new MagSafe charger compared to the 15W speeds with the original. That's about as fast as wired charging with the USB-C port, as Apple states both wired and the upgraded MagSafe charging charges the iPhone 16 to 50% in 30 minutes (35 minutes for the iPhone 16 Plus). Parity between wired and wireless charging means you can now get quick battery top-ups with either charging method, not just wired charging. 

Apple recommends a charger with at least 20W output for wired charging and at least 30W for upgraded MagSafe charging. Apple doesn't include a charger with the iPhone 16, so check out the best iPhone USB-C chargers you can buy. 

Apple didn't upgrade the iPhone 16's USB-C port to support faster transfer speeds, and it's still limited to USB 2 speeds, which are slow by today's standards but not a dealbreaker. It's still acceptable if you're transferring smaller files, like a few photos, but it would be nice to have the iPhone 16 Pro's USB 3 speeds for larger files, like 4K videos. 

Should you buy the iPhone 16?

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus come with several key upgrades that make them the best iPhones released to date as entry-level options. These include the Action Button, the Camera Control button, the new-generation A18 processor, an improved ultrawide camera, macro photography, and a strengthened display that gets super dim. Apple Intelligence has joined into the mix since October, but in its current iteration, it shouldn't be the primary reason you buy or upgrade to the iPhone 16.  

With a solid trade-in offer from Apple or your carrier, the cost of upgrading can be low these days. With that in mind, the iPhone 16 makes a tempting case to upgrade if you have an iPhone 14 or older, with the list of reasons to upgrade getting longer with older iPhones. 

However, if you typically get your phones at full price and you're not necessarily looking to spend the money, you're not missing out on a revolutionary experience, and you can wait until you become unhappy with your current iPhone.